Marathon World Record holder is left out of Kenyan Team - Makau

It is the biggest sporting extravaganza -   2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad, will take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012   Athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are expected to participate. As of date, 165 countries have qualified at least one athlete.  Olympics is not new to London, having hosted twice earlier – in 1908 and 1948.   Many countries have started finalizing their squads – a high standard is required for qualifying itself and a medal is always a cherished dream.  In Sports and in Life, nothing can be taken for guaranteed and there is nothing called ‘certainty’ until it happens.  

Only months back in Sept 2011, the Kenyan Makau was set to duel against Haile Gebrselassie, the world record holder from Ethiopia. The Kenyan dropped his more experienced rival after the halfway point and went on to finish in a world record time of 2:03:38 (an average speed of 4:42.9 per mile), beating the existing record by 21 seconds.  Kenyan runner Patrick Makau shattered the world men’s marathon record by 21 seconds at the  race in Berlin.  Makau ran alone for the final 12 kms for the greatest day of his life. 

The 26-old-Kenyan had won the Berlin race and finished third in London.   Things were totally rosy as besides the recognition of having ascended the throne of ultimate distance running, Patrick Makau's purple patch continued when he welcomed twin sons to his family on January 31st.  He triumphantly felt that he has added two more to his art.  One can never rest on laurels however recent they are, was understood by him the hard way now.  

Year 2011 was great as he ran two big races, the London where he came third  and then won at Berlin.  He knew after turning 27 recently, the test at Olympics will be much tougher.  Initially, Makau was promised an automatic Olympics berth on his victorious return from Berlin by Athletics Kenya before the federation later ruled to include him in a list of six who will vie for three final slots during the spring marathon season.  He was quoted as saying that  "Winning Olympics gold or championships is also on my mind. Running championships is easy  and  I can bring a medal for Kenya," the runner who won silver twice for his nation at the 2007 and 2008 World Half Marathon Championships outlined.  He was a class apart and was one who preferred training without the services of any coach with his group of about 26 runners in the hilly terrain of Ngong in the outskirts of Nairobi.  Makau's rise from abject poverty, who grew in a family of eight siblings with scarce means, to the riches accrued from a rewarding career  has been a story worthy of emulation !!! 

Sadly, there is the news of his omission from Kenya's marathon squad for  Olympic Games.  Yes, Makau has paid the price for failing to finish in Sunday’s Virgin London Marathon after being left out of the Kenyan team for this summer’s Olympics.  The coveted three places in the men’s marathon go to Wilson Kipsang, who won Sunday’s race in the second fastest time in history, two-time world champion Abel Kirui and Chicago Marathon winner Moses Mosop. 

Makau, the World record holder, pulled out of Sunday’s race after 11 miles with a hamstring problem.  Sad, the World Record holder -  Patrick Makau Musyoki  would not be there to have a tilt at the windmill again.  The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards)

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.